Guided Inquiry

This week I had to create an experiment to test how different surfaces affected a marbles momentum. To achieve my goal, I created a ramp that consisted of two books and a piece of cardboard. I also used the larger of the two marbles that was in our science resource kit. The two surfaces I used was the carpet and hardwood floors in my house. The fact that I had the different flooring in my home was very convenient.

My hypothesis was that the marble would travel further on the hardwood surface than on the carpet. I was correct! The marble rolled 66cm from the end of the ramp on the carpet and more than 4m on the hardwood. This was because the friction between the marble and carpet slowed the marble's momentum faster than the hardwood.

This was a good experiment because it was rigorous, but still simple enough to perform in the confines of my home. Thinking back, I should have tested both marbles on the surfaces and see if the different masses would have any affect on the outcome.

When I use this experiment for my students, I will give them 3-4 different balls, all with different masses. I will have them to create their own experiment to determine the affect different surfaces have on an objects momentum. One challenge I see with this in school is the fact that there is not much carpet in our school. To alleviate this problem, the students could go outside and use the concrete, grass, or the track surface.

Another issue I see is some of the students becoming intimidated by the rigor of the activity. More and more activities like this will enhance their critical thinking skills and allow them to be more competitive in the real world (Lantz, 2009).

References:

Lantz, H. B. (2009). What should be the function of a K–12 STEM education? SEEN Magazine, 11(3). Retrieved from:http://www.seenmagazine.us/Sections/ArticleDetail/tabid/79/ArticleID/208/smid/403/reftab/292/Default.aspx